Carole King to be first woman to get Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize

Singer-songwriter Carole King, who campaigned for President Obama’s re-election, will become the first woman to receive the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize at a concert at the White House on Wednesday.

Mr. Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will host the concert in the East Room with performances by Ms. King, Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Emeli Sande, Trisha Yearwood and Jesse McCartney.

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Ms. King won four Grammys in the early 1970s for songs such as “It’s Too Late” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” A resident of central Idaho, she recorded a video endorsement for Mr. Obama’s reelection campaign last summer.

“President Obama understands how important rural America is,” she said. “Rural America is part of his DNA.”

The concert is part of the “In Performance at the White House” series. Mr. Obama has presented the Gershwin award previously to Stevie Wonder in 2009, Sir Paul McCartney in 2010, and the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 2012.

The Gershwin Prize commemorates George and Ira Gershwin, the American songwriting team whose extensive manuscript collections reside in the Library of Congress. The prize is awarded to musicians whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.

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About the Author

Dave Boyer is a White House correspondent for The Washington Times. A native of Allentown, Pa., Boyer worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 2002 to 2011 and also has covered Congress for the Times. He is a graduate of Penn State University. Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.